Girl, 13, punches shark in hair-raising shark encounter

A quick-thinking 13 year old girl from Florida punched a shark that attacked her.

Despite punching the estimated 6 foot long shark, it soon swam back and bit her again, leaving Ella Reed with injuries to her stomach, arm, finger, and knee, resulting in getting a total of 19 stitches.

She had been sitting in shallow water with her friends when the shark, suspected to be a bull shark, first bit her.

Ella told South Florida’s Local 10 News: "It wouldn’t leave me alone, so I had to use my arm and use my hand too, so it got my arm and my finger."

She punched the shark in the face to hopefully stop it from attacking her again, and it swam off, but soon returned, meaning Ella had to fend the shark off for a second time.

The teenager screamed out for her mum as the shark continued to circle her, who was recovered safely but shaking and covered in blood, but was calm.

Despite her alarming shark encounter, Ella plans on returning to the ocean when she fully recovers, proud of her scars, knowing it could have been much worse.

In fact Florida is the shark bite capital of the world, with the most recorded shark attacks last year according to the International Shark Attack File.

So, for Ella, and anyone else swimming in those waters, here’s our guide to helping you keep shark safe.

Words by Dean Newman

If you would like to write for The Daily Jaws, please visit our ‘work with us’ page

For all the latest Jaws, shark and shark movie news, follow The Daily Jaws on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.